Fewer Democratic voters support death penalty, survey says

Support for the death penalty is the lowest it’s been in 40 years, according to new data from the Pew Research Center.

According to a resent survey of 1,500 adults, 58 percent favor the death penalty, down from 62 percent in 2011 and 78 percent in 1996.

The new survey, Pew said, found that much of the decline over the last two decades can be attributed to Democrats.

Now, 40 percent of Democrats favor the death penalty, while 56 percent are opposed. In 1996, Democrats favored capital punishment by a 71 percent to 25 percent margin.

Little has changed, however, among Republicans: 77 percent favor the death penalty, down from 87 percent in 1996.

While supporters view the death penalty as a morally justified punishment for someone who commits murder, the study found 71 percent of Americans say there is some risk that an innocent person will be put to death. Only about a quarter said there are adequate safeguards in place, and 6 in 10 people said the death penalty does not deter people from committing serious crimes.